1. Field of the invention
This invention relates generally to greenhouse agriculture but more specifically to a rotating hydroponic or aeroponic agricultural unit.
2. Background
Recent advances in the study of plants and agriculture have yielded new methods of making plants grow. Generally, it has been found that water that is highly saturated with nutrients is as effective if not more than traditional soil based agriculture. This new method is known generally as hydroponic culture. Derived from hydroponic culture is aeroponic culture which pushes the limit even further by having the nutrient rich water merely sprayed over the plants that are suspended from racks.
The prior art reveals different methods for hanging plants and moving them so that they receive an appropriate mix of water and light.
There are also patented as well as unpatented products which disclose the use of a rotating drum inside which are grown plants. It has been found that rotating plants activates auxins, which are plant growth hormones. This phenomenon which can create unusual shapes to plants is known as orbitropism. An example of an orbitropic system can be found at www.omegagarden.com (excerpts of which are enclosed with the IDS) which discloses a horizontally rotating open drum having a water basin at its base and into which roots of plants are dipped in. The Omega garden system uses a hydroponic system which does not bathe the entire plant in nutrient rich water. This process is different from the natural process of rainfall which touches every parts of the plant first and then the root system after rainwater has percolated down into the soil.